• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Detroit Steering Wheel Theft is on the Rise

May 7, 2021 By Nadeem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Detroit Steering Wheel Theft is on the Rise

Thieves in the Detroit area are steeling Chevy Equinox and Malibu steering wheels for their airbags, and officials blame the coronavirus pandemic.

The thieves took 11 steering wheels in just the first three days of May, targeting auto shops and homes with cars parked out front.

One of the victims, an Eastpointe woman, said she was surprised that thieves targeted her steering wheel and nothing else.

“When I looked up, my driver’s side rear window was broken, glass all over the place,” she told Fox 2. “Not a big deal, I open the driver’s side door and I had no steering wheel.”

Local shops said they noticed an uptick in blackmarket airbag sales around the time factories slowed down due to the pandemic.

“That’s when we noticed a lot more of them coming in. and with the shut down it’s hard to get parts,” said John Channell of Stan Yee Auto Repair.

It’s a win-win for thieves and shady auto shops. The robbers sell the stolen goods to shops for $50 to $300. And the shops charge upwards of $2,000 to car owners to replace airbags and steering wheels.

“This is straight cash, you can take it to different shops that may be able to buy it,” Channell added. “And (they will) give you cash for that immediately. Then, they will just put it into a car where this already happened.”

Legitimate shops that want to help can’t do much, as there’s a shortage in parts. So when cars with missing steering wheels come in, they just sit and wait for parts on backorder.

Of course, airbag theft isn’t new. About 50 thousand airbags are stolen every year in the United States, costing owners more than $50 million, according to National Insurance Crime Bureau.

As Detroit-area police search for the thieves, they’re warning auto shops and people with garages to keep their cars locked away. If that’s not possible, buy an anti-theft club that goes on the steering wheel. It might not stop a theft, but it could serve as a hassle and deterrent.

Filed Under: Archive, Crime Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Malibu, Coronavirus, Steering Wheel

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chuck says

    May 12, 2021 at 10:44 am

    I have several books available. 248 363 5025

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Top Down Group
Apex Leather
Miami Corporation RIght Rail - Ad 2
  • Moore & Giles Ad 1
  • Keyston Bros
  • Mobile Solution
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Hyde Leather
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Albright's Supply

THR Favorites

10 Questions for Sue of Fast N’ Loud

Thanks to a regular appearance on Discovery … [more] about 10 Questions for Sue of Fast N’ Loud

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Design Studio - High-back Bucket Seat

Design Studio: High-Back Bucket Seat

Need to design and upholster a high-back … [more] about Design Studio: High-Back Bucket Seat

The Hog Ring - Auto Upholstery Community - Rad Rides by Troy 1969 Ford Torino

Rad Rides by Troy’s 1969 Ford Torino

When Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy … [more] about Rad Rides by Troy’s 1969 Ford Torino

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Sid Chavers 1932 Ford

Photo: Cadillac-Inspired ’32 Ford Bench Seat

This Cadillac-inspired 1932 Ford 3W seat was … [more] about Photo: Cadillac-Inspired ’32 Ford Bench Seat

How Did You Learn Auto Upholstery?

Stories about how individual auto trimmers … [more] about How Did You Learn Auto Upholstery?

The Hog Ring - Meet Stephen Kurzman of The Custom Stitching Co

Meet Stephen Kurzman of The Custom Stitching Co.

Formal training at one of the country’s few … [more] about Meet Stephen Kurzman of The Custom Stitching Co.

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • ‘Finding Mal & Randy’ at the 2023 SEMA Show
  • Hydes Leather is Giving Trim Shops Cash Back on Orders
  • Apex Leather’s New Black Max Threadboard is Badass!
  • Trimmer Max Dickerson Dies at 85
  • Why is it called DAP Weldwood Adhesive?

Recent Comments

  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’
  • THE CAPTAIN on Should You Reinforce French Seams?

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.
anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in